Posts Tagged ‘customer service’

How does your company give its salespeople their marching orders? Do these discussions take place before your salespeople leave on a business trip, while they’re visiting customers, or once they return from a long, hard trip? Well, most companies give salespeople their objectives at the beginning of the year. They may then tweak them during a given month or quarter, but for the most part, their objectives are well understood at the outset of a new year. The hope is that the sales team will be incentivized enough to identify and close on all opportunities. However, how do you track their performance while they’re in the field?

Every company wants to have strong cohesion within its business development team. Every company wants its marketing, sales and customer service departments to work as one, or at the very least, to provide congruent message to the market. Unfortunately, far too few are able to provide that message. Far too few are able to properly manage the customer’s expectations, and far too many come up short when managing their customer’s urgent requirements. Is this because these internal departments refuse to work together? Is it because they have conflicting goals and objectives, or is it simply because they lack access to the same vital, accurate, up-to-the-minute information? Well, in most cases, these three aforementioned business functions want to work as one. It’s in their best interest to do so. Unfortunately, the problems are typically caused by a lack of essential information, information that is often put together via manual processes. So, what’s the solution?

There are a myriad of books, courses, and training tools aimed at helping salespeople win more business. Some focus on improving B2B (business to business) customer relationships, some focus on the shorter sales cycles present in B2C (business to consumer) sales, and yet others concentrate on more complex sales, ones typically associated with large contractual agreements. However, what is the ultimate indicator of the ability for a salesperson to close a sale? Is it their “gift of gab”, their ability to turn a “no” into a “yes,” or is it simply their ability to get that customer the essential information they need to make an informed decision? Well, when you step back and take an honest look at sales, it becomes readily apparent that success often comes down to the ability to provide information in a timely manner. While not the only indicator of success, the ability of a salesperson to give accurate information does make a difference. With this in mind, a number of companies are helping their salespeople close more business via their rugged handheld computers. Salespersons today must be connected and mobile! They must be able to provide customers with immediate information, and it is this ability that often means the difference between business won and lost. So what are some of the immediate benefits of empowering your sales team with rugged mobile computers?

Can an argument be made that your customers are the greatest assets your company has? In order to answer this question, think of what a customer means to your business. First, customers provide your company with profit. Second, they justify the purchase of inventory and investment in additional warehousing space. Third, they provide a means to grow market share and further increase revenue. Fourth, they are the reason your company finances its future expansion. Fifth, they are the impetus you need to improve your product and service offering. This list could go on and on. The point is that everything begins and ends with your customers. Consider this a constant feedback loop. Happy customers buy more, which in turn increases your revenue, and allows you to grow your business. This is the reason your customers are your greatest asset and it is ultimately why your sales, marketing, customer service, and field service technicians, must have rugged mobile devices. It is these devices that allow them to better manage these customer assets.

How does your company handle customer returns? Do you charge customers a restocking fee or merely accept the return at no charge? Perhaps you’ve been led to believe that charging a restocking fee will damage your customer relationships or that it will negatively impact future business. Maybe your concern lies with how your competitors will react to your company charging restocking fees when they don’t. Regardless of why, your company must charge a restocking fee. In fact, there are simply no excuses for not charging customers for returning product. This is especially true for those instances were the customer is merely returning product due to pricing or a mistake in ordering. Granted, defective product is one thing but functional product is another. So why should your company charge a restocking fee? To answer this question, consider the following points below. Continue reading “Restocking Fees, Should Your Company Charge Them?” »

Cellphone service is one of the biggest personal expenses a lot of people have. The proliferation of smart phones and high-speed service has moved extremely fast over the last few years. And that’s a great thing. Few can complain about having access to email and the internet right from the palm of their hand. But having that access comes at a price. There are some things you can do if you’re not happy Continue reading “3 Ways to Cut Big Bucks Off Your Cellphone Bill” »